For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Thursday, August 19, 2010 USDL-10-1142
Technical information: (202) 691-6170 - iifstaff@bls.gov - www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 - PressOffice@bls.gov
NATIONAL CENSUS OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES IN 2009
(PRELIMINARY RESULTS)
A preliminary total of 4,340 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2009, down from a
final count of 5,214 fatal work injuries in 2008. The 2009 total represents the smallest annual preliminary
total since the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program was first conducted in 1992.
Based on this preliminary count, the rate of fatal work injury for U.S. workers in 2009 was 3.3 per
100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, down from a final rate of 3.7 in 2008. Counts and rates are
likely to increase with the release of final 2009 CFOI results in April 2011. Over the last 2 years,
increases in the published counts based on information received after the publication of preliminary results
have averaged 156 fatalities per year or about 3 percent of the revised totals.
Economic factors played a major role in the fatal work injury decrease in 2009. Total hours worked fell by
6 percent in 2009 following a 1 percent decline in 2008, and some industries that have historically accounted
for a significant share of fatal work injuries, such as construction, experienced even larger declines in
employment or hours worked. In addition, some source documents used by CFOI State partners to identify and
verify fatal work injuries were delayed, due at least in part to fiscal constraints at some of the
governmental agencies who regularly provide source documentation for the program.
Key preliminary findings of the 2009 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries:
- Workplace homicides declined 1 percent in 2009, in contrast to an overall decline of 17 percent for
all fatal work injuries. The homicide total for 2009 includes the 13 victims of the November shooting
at Fort Hood. Workplace suicides were down 10 percent in 2009 from the series high of 263 in 2008.
- Though wage and salary workers and self-employed workers experienced similar declines in total hours
worked in 2009, fatal work injuries among wage and salary workers in 2009 declined by 20 percent
while fatal injuries among self-employed workers were down 3 percent.
- The wholesale trade industry was one of the few major private industry sectors reporting higher numbers
of fatal work injuries in 2009.
- Fatal work injuries in the private construction sector declined by 16 percent in 2009 following the
decline of 19 percent in 2008.
- Fatalities among non-Hispanic black or African-American workers were down 24 percent. This worker group
also experienced a slightly larger decline in total hours worked than non-Hispanic white or
Hispanic workers.
- The number of fatal workplace injuries in building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations rose
6 percent, one of the few major occupation groups to record an increase in fatal work injuries in 2009.
- Transportation incidents, which accounted for nearly two-fifths of all the fatal work injuries in 2009,
fell 21 percent from the 2,130 fatal work injuries reported in 2008.
Profile of 2009 fatal work injuries by type of incident
Most types of transportation fatalities decreased in 2009 relative to 2008, including highway incidents
(down 27 percent); workers struck by vehicle or mobile equipment (down 19 percent); aircraft incidents
(down 18 percent); and nonhighway incidents such as tractor overturns (down 8 percent). Fatal occupational
injuries due to water vehicle incidents were higher (82 fatalities in 2009, up from 76 in 2008). These and
other transportation counts presented in this release will likely rise when updated 2009 data are released
in April 2011. Key source documentation detailing specific incidents related to transportation has not yet
been received and could identify 100 or more cases if recent trends hold true.
Workplace homicides fell by 1 percent in 2009, in contrast to the 17 percent decrease in fatal work injuries
overall. The preliminary workplace homicide count for 2009 (521 cases) represents a decline of about half
from the high of 1,080 homicides reported in 1994. Workplace suicides declined 10 percent from a series high
of 263 cases in 2008 to 237 cases in 2009. However, this 2009 preliminary count of workplace suicides is the
second highest annual total reported by the fatality census.
Fatal falls declined 12 percent in 2009 (from 700 in 2008 to 617 in 2009). Overall, fatal falls are down
27 percent from the series high of 847 fatal falls reported in 2007. About half of all fatal falls occur in
construction, so the decline in overall construction activity and employment since 2007 may account for the
lower number of fatal falls over the past 2 years. Fatalities involving contact with objects or equipment
were down 22 percent in 2009 after increasing in 2008, and fatal work injuries involving exposure to harmful
substances or environments (such as electrocutions) were down 11 percent.
Profile of fatal work injuries by industry sector
Overall, 90 percent of the fatal work injuries involved workers in private industry. Service-providing
industries in the private sector recorded 49 percent of all fatal work injuries in 2009, while 41 percent
were in goods-producing industries. Ten percent of the fatal work injury cases in 2009 involved government
workers. The number of fatal work injuries in both the private and public sectors declined by 17 percent
in 2009.
While workers in construction incurred the most fatal injuries of any industry in the private sector in 2009,
the number of fatalities in construction declined 16 percent in 2009 after a decline of 19 percent in 2008.
With this decrease, private construction fatalities are down by more than a third since reaching a series
high in 2006. Economic conditions may explain much of this decline with total hours worked having declined
17 percent in construction in 2009, after a decline of 10 percent the year before. Fatal injuries involving
workers in the construction of buildings were down 27 percent from 2008, with most of the decrease occurring
in nonresidential building construction (down 44 percent to 55 cases). Heavy and civil engineering
construction was down 12 percent, and the subsector with the largest number of fatal work injuries,
specialty trade contractors, had 16 percent fewer fatalities in 2009 than in 2008.
Fatal injuries were down by 18 percent among private sector workers in the agriculture, forestry, fishing,
and hunting industry sector in 2009. Fatal injuries to workers in forestry and logging led the decrease,
declining 50 percent (from 102 in 2008 to 51 in 2009). Unlike most industries in the sector, fatal
injuries among fishing, hunting, and trapping workers were higher. Fatal work injuries also declined in
mining (down 43 percent) and in manufacturing (down 26 percent).
Among service-providing industries, fatal work injuries in the transportation and warehousing sector accounted
for 579 fatalities, a 27 percent decrease. Truck transportation, the largest subsector within
transportation and warehousing, had a 32 percent decrease in fatalities in 2009. Among other transportation
subsectors, workers in air, rail, and water transportation all incurred fewer fatal work injuries in 2009.
Wholesale trade was one of the few major private industry sectors to record a higher number of fatal injuries
in 2009 than in 2008. Fatal injuries were up 3 percent in wholesale trade in 2009, but were down slightly
in retail trade. Fatal work injuries in the utilities and information industries were down sharply, but
declines in most of the other service industries were more moderate, including financial activities
(down 5 percent), professional and business services (down 2 percent), educational and health services
(down 4 percent), and leisure and hospitality (down 9 percent).
Fatal injuries among government workers were down 17 percent. While fatalities incurred by state and local
government workers decreased in 2009, fatalities among federal government workers were higher (up 7 percent
to 116 fatal work injuries in 2009), largely due to an increase in the national security subsector
(resident military).
Profile of fatal work injuries by occupation
Fatal work injuries involving workers in transportation and material moving occupations accounted for more
than one-fifth of all occupational fatalities in 2009, though fatalities in this occupational group declined
by 28 percent. Driver/sales workers and truck drivers, the subgroup with the highest number of fatal work
injuries within the transportation and material moving group, led the decline with 32 percent fewer fatal work
injuries in 2009 than in 2008.
Fatal work injuries in construction and extraction occupations decreased by 16 percent in 2009 after declining
17 percent the previous year. Construction trades worker fatalities were down 16 percent (from 726 in 2008 to
607 in 2009), though fatal work injuries were higher in 2009 for electricians, plumbers, and carpenters,
among others. Fatal work injuries involving construction laborers, the worker subgroup accounting for the
highest number of fatalities in this occupational group, declined by 7 percent in 2009 to 224 fatal
work injuries.
Fatal work injuries among protective service occupations fell by 21 percent in 2009 and are down 30 percent
from the high for the series reported in 2007. Fewer fatalities among law enforcement workers, fire fighting
and prevention workers, and security guards led the decline in this occupational group in 2009.
The building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupational group was among the few occupation groups
with a higher number of fatal injuries in 2009 (up 6 percent), led by an increase in fatal work injuries
among grounds maintenance personnel (up 12 percent to 147 fatalities).
Fatal work injuries involving resident military personnel were also higher, up 21 percent in 2009 to
69 fatalities.
Profile of fatal work injuries by demographic characteristics
The number of fatal work injuries fell 16 percent among non-Hispanic white workers in 2009 and declined
17 percent among Hispanic or Latino workers. The largest decline was among non-Hispanic black or
African-American workers who recorded a 24 percent decline in fatalities in 2009. Since 2007, fatal work
injuries among black workers have declined by a third. Total hours worked were down 8 percent in 2009 for
black workers, as opposed to 7 percent for Hispanic or Latino workers and 6 percent for non-Hispanic
white workers.
The decline in fatal work injuries among Hispanic or Latino workers in 2009 primarily involved foreign-born
Hispanic or Latino workers. Fatalities among foreign-born Hispanic or Latino workers were lower by 22 percent,
but among native-born Hispanics, the decline was 9 percent. While the 680 fatal work injuries incurred by
workers who were born outside of the United States accounted for 16 percent of all fatal work injuries in the
U.S. in 2009, that total also represented a decline of 19 percent from 2008. Of the foreign-born workers
who were fatally-injured in the U.S. in 2009, the largest share (40 percent) was Mexican-born.
Total hours worked for both self-employed and wage and salary workers declined by 6 percent in 2009. However,
self-employed workers had a 3 percent decline in fatalities, while fatalities among wage and salary workers
fell by 20 percent. The fatality rate for self-employed workers was higher in 2009 (12.0 fatal work injuries
per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers versus 11.6 in 2008) while the fatality rate for wage and salary
workers was lower.
Workplace fatalities among both male and female workers decreased in 2009. The number of fatalities declined
for all age categories in 2009 except for workers under the age of 16, whose total rose slightly.
Profile of fatal work injuries by state
Thirty-seven states reported lower numbers of fatal work injuries in 2009 than in 2008, while 13 states and the
District of Columbia reported higher numbers.
For more detailed state results, contact the individual state agency responsible for the collection of CFOI data in
that state. Although data for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are not included in the national totals for this
release, results for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are available. Participating agencies and their telephone
numbers are listed in Table 6.
Background of the program
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), part of the BLS Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS)
program, compiles a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. during the calendar year. The CFOI
program uses diverse state, federal, and independent data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work
injuries. This assures counts are as complete and accurate as possible. For the 2009 data, over 17,000 unique
source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection process.
Another OSHS program, the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), presents frequency counts and
incidence rates by industry and also by detailed case circumstances and worker characteristics of nonfatal
workplace injuries and illnesses that result in days away from work. Incidence rates for 2009 by industry
will be published in October 2010, and information on 2009 case circumstances and worker characteristics
will be available in November 2010. For additional data, access the BLS Internet site: http://www.bls.gov/iif/.
Beginning with 2009 data, the CFOI program began classifying industry using the 2007 version of the North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS 2007). Industry data from 2003 to 2008 were classified using the
NAICS 2002. NAICS 2007 includes revisions across several sectors. The most significant revisions are in
the information sector, particularly within telecommunications. For more information,
go to http://www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.
For technical information about and definitions for the CFOI program, please go to the BLS Handbook of Methods on
the BLS web site here: http://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/homch9_a1.htm.
Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure,
2008-2009
_________________________________________________________________
|
| Fatalities
_____________________________
| |
Event or exposure(1) | 2008(2) | 2009p
_____________________________
| |
| Number | Percent
_________________________________________________________________
| | |
Total............................| 5,214 | 4,340 | 100
| | |
Transportation incidents...........| 2,130 | 1,682 | 39
Highway..........................| 1,215 | 882 | 20
Collision between vehicles, | | |
mobile equipment..............| 597 | 421 | 10
Moving in same direction.....| 156 | 97 | 2
Moving in opposite | | |
directions, oncoming........| 202 | 169 | 4
Moving in intersection.......| 130 | 77 | 2
Vehicle struck object on side | | |
of road.......................| 323 | 222 | 5
Noncollision...................| 275 | 218 | 5
Jack-knifed or overturned-no | | |
collision...................| 239 | 183 | 4
Nonhighway (farm, industrial | | |
premises).......................| 284 | 260 | 6
Overturned...................| 151 | 134 | 3
Worker struck by a vehicle.......| 329 | 265 | 6
Railway accident.................| 34 | 33 | 1
Water vehicle accident...........| 76 | 82 | 2
Aircraft accident................| 191 | 156 | 4
| | |
Assaults and violent acts..........| 816 | 788 | 18
Homicides........................| 526 | 521 | 12
Shooting.......................| 421 | 420 | 10
Stabbing.......................| 33 | 48 | 1
Self-inflicted injuries..........| 263 | 237 | 5
| | |
Contact with objects and equipment | 937 | 734 | 17
Struck by object or equipment....| 520 | 414 | 10
Struck by falling object or | | |
equipment.....................| 356 | 272 | 6
Struck by flying object or | | |
equipment.....................| 51 | 40 | 1
Caught in or compressed by | | |
equipment or objects............| 302 | 232 | 5
Caught in running equipment or | | |
machinery.....................| 109 | 112 | 3
Caught in or crushed in | | |
collapsing materials............| 100 | 80 | 2
| | |
Falls..............................| 700 | 617 | 14
Fall to lower level..............| 593 | 518 | 12
Fall from ladder...............| 119 | 122 | 3
Fall from roof.................| 123 | 109 | 3
Fall from scaffold, staging....| 68 | 53 | 1
Fall on same level...............| 92 | 83 | 2
| | |
Exposure to harmful substances or | | |
environments......................| 439 | 390 | 9
Contact with electric current....| 192 | 168 | 4
Contact with overhead power | | |
lines.........................| 102 | 63 | 1
Contact with temperature extremes| 37 | 39 | 1
Exposure to caustic, noxious, or | | |
allergenic substances...........| 130 | 119 | 3
Inhalation of substance........| 56 | 42 | 1
Oxygen deficiency................| 79 | 62 | 1
Drowning, submersion...........| 60 | 51 | 1
| | |
Fires and explosions...............| 174 | 113 | 3
_______________________________________________________________
1 Based on the 2007 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness
Classification Manual. Includes other events and exposures, such
as bodily reaction, in addition to those shown separately.
2 Totals for 2008 are revised and final. The BLS news release
issued August 20, 2009, reported a total of 5,071 fatal work
injuries for calendar year 2008. Since then, an additional 143
job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the total
job-related fatality count for 2008 to 5,214.
p Data for 2009 are preliminary. Revised and final 2009 data
are scheduled to be released in April 2011.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not
shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of
rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths
unless precipitated by an injury event.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics,
in cooperation with State, New York City, District of Columbia,
and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry and selected event or
exposure, 2009p
__________________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Fatalities | Selected event or exposure(2)
| | (percent of total for industry)
Industry(1) |___________________|_______________________________________
| | | | | |
| Number | Percent | Highway |Homicides| Falls |Struck by
| | | (3) | | | object
______________________________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________
| | | | | |
Total.....................| 4,340 | 100 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 10
| | | | | |
Private industry.............| 3,890 | 90 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 10
| | | | | |
Goods producing.............| 1,772 | 41 | 12 | 2 | 20 | 14
| | | | | |
Natural resources and | | | | | |
mining....................| 652 | 15 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 18
Agriculture, forestry, | | | | | |
fishing and hunting......| 551 | 13 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 18
Crop production.........| 278 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 17
Animal production.......| 141 | 3 | 12 | - | 9 | 14
Forestry and logging....| 51 | 1 | 18 | - | - | 51
Mining(4).................| 101 | 2 | 25 | - | 5 | 19
Mining, except oil and | | | | | |
gas....................| 28 | 1 | 14 | - | - | 21
Support activities for | | | | | |
mining.................| 55 | 1 | 29 | - | 5 | 20
Construction...............| 816 | 19 | 10 | 2 | 34 | 10
Construction..............| 816 | 19 | 10 | 2 | 34 | 10
Construction of | | | | | |
buildings..............| 150 | 3 | 6 | - | 49 | 9
Heavy and civil | | | | | |
engineering | | | | | |
construction...........| 167 | 4 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 13
Specialty trade | | | | | |
contractors............| 477 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 39 | 9
Manufacturing..............| 304 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 15
Manufacturing.............| 304 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 15
Food manufacturing......| 47 | 1 | 21 | 9 | 11 | 9
Fabricated metal product| | | | | |
manufacturing..........| 37 | 1 | - | - | 8 | 30
| | | | | |
Service providing...........| 2,118 | 49 | 26 | 19 | 11 | 7
| | | | | |
Trade, transportation, and | | | | | |
utilities.................| 1,073 | 25 | 37 | 16 | 8 | 6
Wholesale trade...........| 186 | 4 | 35 | 5 | 13 | 10
Merchant wholesalers, | | | | | |
durable goods..........| 94 | 2 | 29 | 5 | 17 | 18
Merchant wholesalers, | | | | | |
nondurable goods.......| 85 | 2 | 40 | 5 | 9 | -
Retail trade..............| 291 | 7 | 14 | 45 | 9 | 7
Motor vehicle and parts | | | | | |
dealers................| 51 | 1 | 27 | 20 | 6 | 12
Food and beverage stores| 77 | 2 | 8 | 75 | 6 | -
Transportation and | | | | | |
warehousing..............| 579 | 13 | 49 | 6 | 6 | 5
Truck transportation....| 340 | 8 | 67 | 2 | 5 | 5
Transit and ground | | | | | |
passenger | | | | | |
transportation.........| 57 | 1 | 37 | 44 | - | 5
Utilities.................| 17 | (5) | - | - | 24 | -
Information................| 32 | 1 | 34 | 12 | 25 | -
Financial activities.......| 101 | 2 | 12 | 32 | 10 | 4
Finance and insurance.....| 30 | 1 | 20 | 37 | - | -
Real estate and rental and| | | | | |
leasing..................| 71 | 2 | 8 | 30 | 11 | 4
Professional and business | | | | | |
services..................| 394 | 9 | 18 | 8 | 19 | 12
Professional and technical| | | | | |
services.................| 80 | 2 | 21 | 9 | 8 | 4
Administrative and waste | | | | | |
services.................| 313 | 7 | 18 | 7 | 22 | 14
Educational and health | | | | | |
services..................| 136 | 3 | 24 | 22 | 11 | -
Educational services......| 25 | 1 | 16 | - | 12 | -
Health care and social | | | | | |
assistance...............| 111 | 3 | 25 | 26 | 11 | -
Leisure and hospitality....| 216 | 5 | 8 | 44 | 11 | 6
Arts, entertainment, and | | | | | |
recreation...............| 76 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 14 | 13
Accommodation and food | | | | | |
services.................| 140 | 3 | 10 | 61 | 9 | 3
Other services, except | | | | | |
public administration.....| 166 | 4 | 14 | 25 | 7 | 16
Government(6)................| 450 | 10 | 25 | 18 | 8 | 3
| | | | | |
Federal government..........| 116 | 3 | 16 | 16 | 7 | 3
State government............| 75 | 2 | 28 | 9 | 9 | 7
Local government............| 256 | 6 | 29 | 21 | 9 | 3
__________________________________________________________________________________________
1 Based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2007.
2 Based on the 2007 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification
Manual. The figure shown is the percent of the total fatalities for
that industry group.
3 "Highway" includes deaths to vehicle occupants resulting from
traffic incidents that occur on the public roadway, shoulder, or
surrounding area. It excludes incidents occurring entirely off the
roadway, such as in parking lots and on farms; incidents involving
trains; and deaths to pedestrians or other nonpassengers.
4 Includes fatalities at all establishments categorized as Mining
(Sector 21) in the North American Industry Classification System, 2007,
including establishments not governed by the Mine Safety and Health
Administration (MSHA) rules and reporting, such as those in Oil and Gas
Extraction.
5 Less than or equal to 0.5 percent.
6 Includes fatalities to workers employed by governmental
organizations regardless of industry.
p Data for 2009 are preliminary. Revised and final 2009 data are
scheduled to be released in April 2011.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown
separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding.
Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication
criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless
precipitated by an injury event.
There were zero fatalities for which there was insufficient information
to determine a specific industry classification.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in
cooperation with State, New York City, District of Columbia, and Federal
agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation and selected event or exposure, 2009p
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Fatalities | Selected event or exposure(2)
| | (percent of total for occupation)
Occupation(1) |_____________________|___________________________________________
| | | | | |
| Number | Percent |Highway(3)| Homicides| Falls | Struck by
| | | | | | object
___________________________________|__________|__________|__________|__________|__________|__________
| | | | | |
Total............................| 4,340 | 100 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 10
| | | | | |
Management occupations.............| 514 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 13
Top executives...................| 37 | 1 | 19 | 22 | 8 | -
Operations specialties managers..| 27 | 1 | 19 | 11 | 11 | 11
Other management occupations.....| 433 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 15
Business and financial operations | | | | | |
occupations.......................| 24 | 1 | 17 | - | - | -
Computer and mathematical | | | | | |
occupations.......................| 6 | (4) | - | - | - | -
Architecture and engineering | | | | | |
occupations.......................| 41 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 20 | -
Engineers........................| 18 | (4) | - | - | 33 | -
Life, physical, and social science | | | | | |
occupations.......................| 16 | (4) | 19 | - | - | -
Community and social services | | | | | |
occupations.......................| 29 | 1 | 34 | 31 | 17 | -
Legal occupations..................| 12 | (4) | 42 | - | - | -
Education, training, and library | | | | | |
occupations.......................| 21 | (4) | - | 19 | 43 | -
Arts, design, entertainment, | | | | | |
sports, and media occupations.....| 41 | 1 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 12
Entertainers and performers, | | | | | |
sports and related workers......| 31 | 1 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 13
Healthcare practitioners and | | | | | |
technical occupations.............| 54 | 1 | 24 | 19 | 6 | -
Health diagnosing and treating | | | | | |
practitioners...................| 30 | 1 | 27 | 17 | - | -
Health technologists and | | | | | |
technicians.....................| 23 | 1 | 22 | 22 | - | -
Healthcare support occupations.....| 24 | 1 | 29 | 33 | 12 | -
Protective service occupations.....| 243 | 6 | 26 | 37 | 6 | 2
Fire fighting and prevention | | | | | |
workers.........................| 29 | 1 | 24 | - | 21 | -
Law enforcement workers..........| 108 | 2 | 36 | 45 | - | -
Other protective service workers | 81 | 2 | 10 | 46 | 7 | 4
Food preparation and serving | | | | | |
related occupations...............| 55 | 1 | 7 | 56 | 11 | 7
Supervisors, food preparation and| | | | | |
serving workers.................| 13 | (4) | - | 62 | - | -
Building and grounds cleaning and | | | | | |
maintenance occupations...........| 248 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 27 | 17
Building cleaning and pest | | | | | |
control workers.................| 55 | 1 | - | 16 | 36 | 7
Grounds maintenance workers......| 147 | 3 | 9 | - | 27 | 17
Personal care and service | | | | | |
occupations.......................| 42 | 1 | 12 | 38 | 7 | -
Sales and related occupations......| 269 | 6 | 16 | 50 | 7 | 4
Supervisors, sales workers.......| 150 | 3 | 10 | 53 | 6 | 5
Retail sales workers.............| 72 | 2 | 6 | 65 | 8 | -
Sales representatives, services..| 11 | (4) | 45 | - | - | -
Sales representatives, wholesale | | | | | |
and manufacturing...............| 25 | 1 | 68 | - | - | -
Office and administrative support | | | | | |
occupations.......................| 86 | 2 | 33 | 23 | 15 | -
Material recording, scheduling, | | | | | |
dispatching, and distributing | | | | | |
workers.........................| 38 | 1 | 50 | 11 | 13 | -
Farming, fishing, and forestry | | | | | |
occupations.......................| 229 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 18
Agricultural workers.............| 120 | 3 | 15 | - | 7 | 8
Fishing and hunting workers......| 57 | 1 | - | - | - | -
Forest, conservation, and logging| | | | | |
workers.........................| 37 | 1 | 11 | - | - | 65
Construction and extraction | | | | | |
occupations.......................| 818 | 19 | 10 | 2 | 32 | 12
Supervisors, construction and | | | | | |
extraction workers..............| 111 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 21 | 10
Construction trades workers......| 607 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 38 | 10
Extraction workers...............| 58 | 1 | 19 | - | 7 | 29
Installation, maintenance, and | | | | | |
repair occupations................| 317 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 16 | 16
Vehicle and mobile equipment | | | | | |
mechanics, installers, and | | | | | |
repairers.......................| 120 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 28
Other installation, maintenance, | | | | | |
and repair occupations..........| 164 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 22 | 9
Production occupations.............| 191 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 17
Supervisors, production workers..| 22 | 1 | - | - | 14 | -
Metal workers and plastic workers| 72 | 2 | 6 | - | 11 | 24
Transportation and material moving | | | | | |
occupations.......................| 988 | 23 | 45 | 6 | 7 | 6
Air transportation workers.......| 66 | 2 | - | - | - | -
Motor vehicle operators..........| 660 | 15 | 64 | 7 | 5 | 4
Water transportation workers.....| 27 | 1 | - | - | - | -
Material moving workers..........| 187 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 15
Military occupations(5)............| 69 | 2 | 4 | 22 | - | -
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
1 Based on the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification system.
2 Based on the 2007 BLS Injury and Illness Classification Manual. The figure shown is the percent
of the total fatalities for that occupation group.
3 "Highway" includes deaths to vehicle occupants resulting from traffic incidents that occur on the
public roadway, shoulder, or surrounding area. It excludes incidents occurring entirely off the
roadway, such as in parking lots and on farms; incidents involving trains; and deaths to pedestrians
or other non passengers.
4 Less than or equal to 0.5 percent.
5 Includes fatalities to persons identified as resident armed forces regardless of individual
occupation listed.
p Data for 2009 are preliminary. Revised and final 2009 data are scheduled to be released in April
2011.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may
not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet
publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an
injury event.
There were 3 fatalities for which there was insufficient information to determine a specific
occupation classification.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State, New York
City, District of Columbia, and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by selected worker characteristics and selected
event or exposure, 2009p
__________________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| | Selected event or exposure(1)
| Fatalities | (percent of total for characteristic
| | category)
Characteristic |___________________|_______________________________________
| | | | | |
| Number | Percent | Highway |Homicides| Falls |Struck by
| | | (2) | | | object
______________________________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________
| | | | | |
Total.........................| 4,340 | 100 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 10
| | | | | |
Employee status | | | | | |
| | | | | |
Wage and salary(3)............| 3,335 | 77 | 23 | 11 | 14 | 9
Self-employed(4)..............| 1,005 | 23 | 11 | 15 | 14 | 13
| | | | | |
Sex | | | | | |
| | | | | |
Men...........................| 4,021 | 93 | 20 | 11 | 14 | 10
Women.........................| 319 | 7 | 25 | 26 | 13 | 3
| | | | | |
Age(5) | | | | | |
| | | | | |
Under 16 years................| 13 | (6) | - | - | - | -
16-17 years...................| 14 | (6) | 36 | - | - | -
18-19 years...................| 55 | 1 | 20 | 16 | 7 | 9
20-24 years...................| 261 | 6 | 18 | 13 | 13 | 7
25-34 years...................| 681 | 16 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 9
35-44 years...................| 872 | 20 | 21 | 15 | 11 | 9
45-54 years...................| 1,113 | 26 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 10
55-64 years...................| 806 | 19 | 21 | 11 | 18 | 9
65 years and older............| 521 | 12 | 19 | 5 | 20 | 11
| | | | | |
Race or ethnic origin(7) | | | | | |
| | | | | |
White.........................| 3,059 | 70 | 22 | 8 | 14 | 10
Black or African-American.....| 407 | 9 | 25 | 28 | 7 | 7
Hispanic or Latino............| 668 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 20 | 11
American Indian or Alaska | | | | | |
Native.......................| 32 | 1 | 19 | 22 | 12 | 9
Asian.........................| 122 | 3 | 12 | 43 | 7 | 6
Native Hawaiian or Pacific | | | | | |
Islander.....................| 7 | (6) | - | - | - | -
Multiple races................| 7 | (6) | - | - | - | -
Other or not reported.........| 38 | 1 | 8 | 21 | 8 | -
__________________________________________________________________________________________
1 Based on the 2007 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Manual. The
figure shown is the percent of the total fatalities for that demographic group.
2 "Highway" includes deaths to vehicle occupants resulting from traffic incidents that
occur on the public roadway, shoulder, or surrounding area. It excludes incidents
occurring entirely off the roadway, such as in parking lots and on farms; incidents
involving trains; and deaths to pedestrians or other nonpassengers.
3 May include volunteers and workers receiving other types of compensation.
4 Includes self-employed workers, owners of unincorporated businesses and farms, paid
and unpaid family workers, members of partnerships, and may include owners of incorporated
businesses.
5 There were 4 fatalities for which there was insufficient information to determine the
age of the decedent.
6 Less than or equal to 0.5 percent.
7 Persons identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. The race categories
shown exclude Hispanic and Latino workers.
p Data for 2009 are preliminary. Revised and final 2009 data are scheduled to be
released in April 2011.
NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately.
Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. Dashes indicate no data reported
or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude
illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with
State, New York City, District of Columbia, and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal
Occupational Injuries
Table 5. Fatal occupational injuries by state and event or exposure, 2008-2009
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Total fatalities(1) | Event or exposure(4)
| | 2009
|_______________________|_______________________________________________________________________
| | | | | | | |
State of injury | | | | | | |Exposure to|
| | | Transpor- | Assaults | Contact | | harmful |
| 2008(2) | 2009(3)p | tation |and violent| with | Falls | substances| Fires and
| (revised) | | incidents | acts(6) |objects and| | or | explosions
| | | (5) | | equipment | | environ- |
| | | | | | | ments |
__________________________|___________|___________|___________|___________|___________|___________|___________|___________
| | | | | | | |
Total...................| 5,214 | 4,340 | 1,682 | 788 | 734 | 617 | 390 | 113
Alabama...................| 107 | 70 | 33 | 14 | 12 | 5 | 5 | -
Alaska....................| 33 | 17 | 9 | - | 4 | - | - | -
Arizona...................| 100 | 50 | 23 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 6 | -
Arkansas..................| 85 | 75 | 35 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 8 | -
California................| 465 | 301 | 95 | 79 | 41 | 54 | 24 | 6
Colorado..................| 105 | 80 | 34 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 6 | -
Connecticut...............| 28 | 34 | 9 | 13 | 3 | 7 | - | -
Delaware..................| 11 | 7 | 3 | - | - | - | - | -
District of Columbia......| 9 | 10 | 3 | 6 | - | - | - | -
Florida...................| 291 | 243 | 90 | 35 | 31 | 36 | 47 | -
Georgia...................| 182 | 96 | 47 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 3
Hawaii....................| 19 | 13 | 8 | - | 3 | - | - | -
Idaho.....................| 36 | 26 | 14 | - | 7 | - | - | -
Illinois..................| 193 | 158 | 46 | 36 | 32 | 26 | 16 | -
Indiana...................| 143 | 123 | 47 | 20 | 25 | 20 | 9 | -
Iowa......................| 93 | 78 | 47 | 3 | 15 | 7 | 4 | -
Kansas....................| 73 | 76 | 33 | 8 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 3
Kentucky..................| 106 | 97 | 37 | 15 | 21 | 10 | 12 | -
Louisiana.................| 135 | 138 | 60 | 13 | 30 | 15 | 16 | 3
Maine.....................| 24 | 16 | 10 | - | - | - | - | -
Maryland..................| 60 | 65 | 23 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 4 | -
Massachusetts.............| 68 | 59 | 20 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 7 | -
Michigan..................| 123 | 93 | 27 | 23 | 22 | 11 | 9 | -
Minnesota.................| 65 | 60 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 9 | 4 | -
Mississippi...............| 80 | 64 | 33 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5
Missouri..................| 148 | 142 | 59 | 24 | 27 | 20 | 10 | -
Montana...................| 40 | 50 | 22 | 13 | 7 | - | 3 | -
Nebraska..................| 53 | 57 | 26 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 4 | -
Nevada....................| 41 | 24 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 3 | - | -
New Hampshire.............| 7 | 6 | 3 | - | - | - | - | -
New Jersey................| 92 | 99 | 33 | 23 | 12 | 23 | 5 | 3
New Mexico................| 31 | 42 | 20 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | -
New York (including | | | | | | | |
N.Y.C.)..................| 213 | 184 | 63 | 47 | 29 | 24 | 12 | 8
New York City...........| 90 | 63 | 11 | 28 | 9 | 8 | - | -
North Carolina............| 161 | 125 | 47 | 25 | 17 | 18 | 9 | 9
North Dakota..............| 28 | 25 | 11 | - | 4 | 6 | 3 | -
Ohio......................| 168 | 132 | 39 | 26 | 22 | 28 | 10 | 4
Oklahoma..................| 102 | 77 | 43 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 8 | -
Oregon....................| 55 | 66 | 34 | 10 | 14 | 4 | 3 | -
Pennsylvania..............| 241 | 166 | 55 | 37 | 25 | 31 | 13 | 5
Rhode Island..............| 6 | 7 | - | - | 4 | - | - | -
South Carolina............| 87 | 73 | 29 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | -
South Dakota..............| 30 | 24 | 10 | - | 10 | - | - | -
Tennessee.................| 135 | 105 | 42 | 18 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 3
Texas.....................| 463 | 480 | 163 | 93 | 65 | 82 | 61 | 15
Utah......................| 64 | 48 | 27 | - | 7 | 4 | - | 6
Vermont...................| 10 | 12 | 7 | - | - | - | - | -
Virginia..................| 156 | 118 | 42 | 31 | 21 | 16 | 8 | -
Washington................| 84 | 75 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 5 | 3 | -
West Virginia.............| 53 | 41 | 19 | - | 12 | - | 3 | 4
Wisconsin.................| 77 | 94 | 32 | 18 | 21 | 14 | 7 | -
Wyoming...................| 33 | 19 | 11 | - | - | 4 | - | -
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1 State totals include other events and exposures, such as bodily reaction, in addition to those shown separately.
2 Totals for 2008 are revised and final. The BLS news release issued August 20, 2009, reported a total of 5,071 fatal
work injuries for calendar year 2008. Since then, an additional 143 job-related fatalities were identified, bringing the
total job-related fatality count for 2008 to 5,214. Includes two fatalities that occurred within the territorial
boundaries of the United States, but a State of incident could not be determined.
3 Includes zero fatalities that occurred within the territorial boundaries of the United States, but a State of incident
could not be determined.
4 Based on the 2007 BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Manual.
5 Includes highway, nonhighway, air, water, rail fatalities, and fatalities resulting from being struck by a vehicle.
6 Includes violence by persons, self-inflicted injuries, and attacks by animals.
p Data for 2009 are preliminary. Revised and final 2009 data are scheduled to be released in April 2011.
NOTE: Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. CFOI fatality counts exclude
illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State, New York City, District of
Columbia, and Federal agencies, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
Table 6. CFOI participating agencies and telephone numbers
State Agency Telephone number
Alabama Department of Labor (334) 242-3463
Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (907) 465-4539
Arizona Industrial Commission of Arizona (602) 542-3739
Arkansas Department of Labor (501) 682-4542
California Department of Industrial Relations (510) 286-0702
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (303) 692-2710
Connecticut Labor Department (860) 263-6933
Delaware Department of Labor (302) 761-8219
Dist. of Columbia Bureau of Labor Statistics - Philadelphia Region (215) 861-5637
Florida Department of Financial Services (850) 413-1611
Georgia Department of Labor (404) 679-1656
Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (808) 586-9001
Idaho Industrial Commission (208) 334-6090
Illinois Department of Public Health (217) 558-0500
Indiana Department of Labor (317) 232-2668
Iowa Division of Labor Services (515) 281-5151
Kansas Department of Labor (785) 296-1640
Kentucky Labor Cabinet (502) 564-4136
Louisiana Louisiana Workforce Commission (225) 342-3126
Maine Bureau of Labor Standards (207) 623-7902
Maryland Division of Labor and Industry (410) 767-2356
Massachusetts Department of Public Health (617) 624-5679
Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth (517) 322-1851
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (651) 284-5568
Mississippi Department of Health (601) 576-7186
Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (573) 751-2454
Montana Department of Labor and Industry (406) 444-3297
Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court (402) 471-3547
Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (775) 684-7081
New Hampshire Division of Vital Records Administration (603) 271-4647
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (609) 826-4984
New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (505) 476-8740
New York State Department of Health (518) 402-7900
New York City Department of Health (212) 788-4584
North Carolina Department of Labor (919) 733-0337
North Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics - Chicago Region (312) 353-7200 ext. 410
Ohio Department of Health (614) 728-4116
Oklahoma Department of Labor (405) 521-6855
Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (503) 947-7364
Pennsylvania Department of Health (717) 783-2548
Rhode Island Department of Health (401) 222-2812
South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (803) 896-7673
South Dakota Bureau of Labor Statistics - Chicago Region (312) 353-7200 ext. 410
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (615) 741-1749
Texas Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers' Compensation (512) 804-4651
Utah Utah Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (801) 530-6823
Vermont Department of Labor (802) 828-5076
Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (804) 786-1035
Washington Department of Labor and Industries (360) 902-5512
West Virginia Bureau of Labor Statistics - Philadelphia Region (215) 861-5628
Wisconsin Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (608) 221-6289
Wyoming Department of Employment (307) 473-3819
Puerto Rico Negociado de Estadisticas (787) 754-5300 ext.3058
TECHNICAL NOTES
Identification and verification of work-related fatalities
In 2009, there were 27 cases included for which work relationship could not be independently verified; however, the
information on the initiating source document for these cases was sufficient to determine that the incident was likely
to be job-related. Data for these fatalities are included in the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries counts.
An additional 59 fatalities submitted by states were not included because the source documents had insufficient
information to determine work relationship and could not be verified by either an independent source document
or a follow-up questionnaire.
States may identify additional fatal work injuries after data collection closeout for a reference year. In addition,
other fatalities excluded from the published count because of insufficient information to determine work relationship
may subsequently be verified as work related. States have up to seven months from this release to update their initial
published state counts. This procedure ensures that fatality data are disseminated as quickly as possible and
that legitimate cases are not excluded from the final counts. Thus, each year's initial release of data should
be considered preliminary. Final data are released in the Spring of the following year. Revised counts for 2009
will be available in April 2011.
Over the last 2 years, increases in the published counts based on additional information have averaged 156 fatalities
per year or about 3 percent of the revised total. The BLS news release issued August 20, 2009 reported a total
of 5,071 fatal work injuries for 2008. With the April 2010 release of final data, an additional 143 net fatal work
injuries were added, bringing the total for 2008 to 5,214.
Federal/State agency coverage
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries includes data for all fatal work injuries, whether the decedent was working in
a job covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or other federal or state agencies or was
outside the scope of regulatory coverage. Thus, any comparison between the BLS fatality census counts and those
released by other agencies should take into account the different coverage requirements and definitions being used by
each agency.
Several federal and state agencies have jurisdiction over workplace safety and health. OSHA and affiliated agencies
in states with approved safety programs cover the largest portion of the nation's workers. However, injuries and
illnesses occurring in certain industries or activities, such as coal, metal, and nonmetal mining, and highway, water,
rail, and air transportation, are excluded from OSHA coverage because they are covered by other federal agencies, such
as the Mine Safety and Health Administration and various agencies within the Department of Transportation.
Acknowledgements
BLS thanks the participating states, New York City, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands for
their efforts in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and useful data on fatal work injuries. BLS also appreciates the
efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector entities that submitted source documents used to identify
fatal work injuries. Among these agencies are the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the National
Transportation Safety Board; the U.S. Coast Guard; the Mine Safety and Health Administration; the Office of Workers’
Compensation Programs (Federal Employees' Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation divisions); the
Federal Railroad Administration; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; state vital statistics registrars,
coroners, and medical examiners; state departments of health, labor and industries, and workers' compensation agencies;
state and local police departments; and state farm bureaus.
United States Department of Labor
